Surrounded in love, our darling Lorraine passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 10, 2026.
She will be forever missed by her loving sisters, Gillian (Richard), Jan, and Beverley (Tony). Raine was beloved Aunt Raine to her 10 adoring nieces and nephews: Fletcher (Ashley), Kiri (Curtis), Carly (Brad), Cam (Kayla), Jesse, Gregory (Erin), Nicholas (Sarah), Stephen (Lindsay), Jill (Steve) and Meagan. She was an amazing Great Aunt to 14 little ones: Elliot, Emerson, Rowan, Alexandra, Desmond, Maple, Juniper, Audrey, Henry, Lydia, Luke, Francis, Gabriel and Anthony. She so loved her Fisher cousins and their families: Michael, Leslie, Mark and Clare.
She goes to join her parents, Frances (Wade) and Hugh Gailey, her sister, Michelle, her Aunt Dinny, Uncle Gordon, cousins Mark and Clare as well as infant nephew Julian.
Raine felt deeply connected to her Wade relatives in Penniac and afar, especially Wendy.
Raine treasured her very special relationship with her dear childhood friend, Elizabeth. She will also be deeply missed by her beloved chosen sisters: Christine and Bev, and her loving adopted Ukrainian family. She was eternally grateful for all the love and support from the Ladies of Lewis Lake and her many other wonderful friends.
Raine was a devoted friend, a gifted musician, an accomplished artist, a gardener extraordinaire, a fabulous cook, a passionate animal lover and a generous philanthropist. Her excellent way with words was so evident in all her communications. She enjoyed watching all sports, especially the Toronto Blue Jays, the Montreal Canadiens and any curling. Lorraine retired in 2012 from 34 years of dedication in the Federal Public Service.
What a fantastic career she had. Some highlights include:
In 1977, she had a summer internship working in the Canadian Consulate General in Düsseldorf, Germany. In 1982, Raine began working at the Petroleum Incentives Program of Energy Mines and Resources, just after the tragic Ocean Ranger drilling rig accident just off the NL coast, to develop regulations that would ensure this wouldn’t happen again. Later in the same department, she worked with the acting Minister when the government launched the GPS system.
1992 – 1996 Raine was Senior Communications Advisor at Sport Canada where she was lucky to meet many of the country’s medalists at the PM awards ceremonies following three Olympics: Barcelona, Lillehammer and Atlanta. She also travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, for the 1996 Summer Olympics as a member of Team Canada’s support staff.
In 1998, at Veterans Affairs, she took 17 of Canada’s last 125 First World War veterans, the youngest was 99, back to Mons, Belgium, where the Armistice had been signed 80 years previously. In 2000, Lorraine worked with the delegation to repatriate one of Canada’s unidentified soldiers from the First World War and lay him to rest in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. While she worked for many federal government departments, she considered her years with Veterans Affairs Canada to be the best of her Public Service career.
Many thanks to all the wonderful staff on 7A of the Centennial Building, QE II Health Sciences Centre for their excellent care and compassion as well as Dr. Krista Thompson, Dr. Madeleine Plourde and Dr. Stephanie Snow.
Her funeral will be held on June 1st, 2026 at 1:00 pm at St. James Anglican Church, 6991 St. Margaret’s Bay Road, Boutiliers Point, NS, with Archdeacon Brieanna Andrews officiating. A reception will follow. Details of a memorial service and burial in Penniac, New Brunswick, will be available later. Arrangements entrusted to Personal Care Cremations & Memorial Services.
If you wish, please make a donation in Lorraine’s name to Aphasia Centre of Ottawa, 2081 Merivale Road, Suite 300, Ottawa, ON. https://aphasiaottawa.org/support/donation/
